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Pic: Birstall’s WI Market: Sheila Harrison,
Rosemary Alford, Gwen Ludlam, Dorothy Gregory, David Gregory,
Betty German, Dorothy Surgey, Anne Green, Ann Boettcher, Glenys
Ratcliffe
Last orders at market
AFTER 23 years selling home made food,
Birstall’s weekly WI market will be closing in December.
Six to eight cooks have been preparing a variety of items that
are sold in the Methodist Church rooms on Friday mornings: cakes,
pies, preserves and locally grown fruit and vegetables.
Secretary Glenys Ratcliffe said: “Sadly, we have fewer cooks
this year and as new cooks are impossible to find, the market
has decided to cease trading on Fridays in Birstall after Christmas.”
The market is not closing completely and will continue to have
a stall at the Loughborough Farmers’ Market, held on the
second Wednesday of the month from 9am-2pm.
The last Friday market in Birstall will be on December 17, and
the nearest weekly market is in Syston Methodist Church on Fridays
from 10-11am.
Glenys said: “Market members have enjoyed being part of
Birstall for so long and thank all their customers for supporting
us over the past years, and hope to see them at Loughborough”.
Folk club
A VILLAGE folk club now meets weekly in
Birstall giving local musicians a chance to perform, hone their
craft or just enjoy the company of fellow musicians.
The club has been started by Rex Brisland (63) of Wanlip Lane,
a guitarist and folk singer since the age of 18 and the organiser
of a successful folk club in Leicester in the 1960s.
Rex said: “It was the Couriers Folk Club and we met at the
White Swan in Market Place. Paul Simon played for us in 1964
before he became famous, as did Joni Mitchell. They were paid
£15 and the place was packed.”
Rex’s Birstall Folk Club meet on Wednesdays, upstairs at
the Earl of Stamford from 8pm. Entrance is £2. For more
details drop in on a Wednesday or phone Rex on 2676154
Bowls charity match
Pic: Rushey Mead President Janice
Hopkinson and Birstall Senior Vice President John Lee with a
cheque for St John’s Ambulance
A CHARITY bowls match between Birstall
Bowling Club and Rushey Mead has raised £170 for St John’s
Ambulance.
After the match, which Birstall won 109-94, there was a presentation
to one of Birstall’s longest serving players. Walter Kidger
joined the club in 1978 after several years at Rushey Mead. He
was Birstall President in 1988, was green ranger for many years
and won the club singles on four occasions including a hat trick
of wins in 1985, 86 & 87, as well as being runner up in 1988.
He was also Parks President in 1992 and won six Parks trophies.
He played for Birstall in 12 winning Parks Bramley Bowl finals
between 1978 and 1997. Walter is a life member at the club and
although he doesn’t play as often as in previous years,
he is more than happy to turn out when required.
Meanwhile Birstall’s Jan Everitt just missed out in her
bid to become Ladies County Singles Champion. She lost in the
final to Shepshed’s Kate Kyle 21-12.
In the Leicester & District Bowls League, Birstall finished
second in Division 3 and are promoted to Division 2 for next
season.
Finally, the two Birstall Monday Triples League teams battled
it out on August Bank Holiday Monday, the overall score being
a 64-64 draw with the Lighthouse team (which finished second
in the First Division) claiming the victory by winning on more
rinks.
Parish Council notes
A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council
was held on September 13.
Mary Houghton was co-opted to fill a vacancy on the
council.
Councillors listened to a presentation from neighbours of 271
Birstall Road, The Grange, objecting to a planning application
for the construction of one dormer bungalow, 2 single storey
bungalows, three double garages, new access, turning and landscaping.
The new access will involve demolishing a section of the wall
facing Birstall Road. The applicant also gave a presentation
to councillors.
Cllr Peter West commented that Parish Councils were not planning
authorities and had no powers at all in respect of planning applications.
The Council agreed to make no comment to Charnwood about this
planning application.
Residents from Rose Tree Avenue and Hill Rise made the Council
aware of their objections to a revised planning application for
the erection of four first floor residential units at Dhillons
supermarket on Rose Tree Avenue. They are organising a petition
and sending letters of objection to Charnwood. Their concerns
are that the proposals will increase traffic, cause parking problems,
overlook existing properties, will not fit in with the existing
street scene and that the proposed trees that are a feature of
the landscaping will block light and shed leaves.
The Council resolved to support the residents’ objections.
The Council agreed to write to the Police regarding persistent
illegal parking near the Triangle roundabout that was causing
a hazard to motorists and pedestrians.
The council considered a resolution that in the absence of the
editor of the Birstall Post at Parish Council meetings, no councillor
should produce a report of the meeting for the Birstall Post
and that any such report should come only from the clerk. Comment
was made that councillors should concentrate on council business,
not taking notes, and that a report by a councillor may be biased.
The clerk was instructed to investigate the legality of introducing
the proposed measure.
It was reported that planning permission would be required for
the gate to the entrance to School Lane car park. The Council
is waiting for a response from Charnwood in respect of the need
for any approval for the proposed School Lane playing field security
fence.
It was reported that police had arrested a motor cyclist on Harrowgate
Drive playing fields.
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Snooker players plea
A BIRSTALL snooker player on the brink
of a professional career is appealing to local businesses for
sponsorship.
Pic: snooker player Darren Sharman
Darren Sharman (30) has been competing all over the country on
the amateur tour for the last two years and feels he is one or
two seasons away from achieving a professional standard.
Currently preparing for the start of the 2004/05 season, Darren
practices 5-6 hours a day, 3 or 4 days a week at Glenfield’s
Top Spot and Wigston’s Winchester Snooker Clubs, where he
has won the local league for the last seven years.
Darren started to play the game aged 10, his highest break is
138 and his best performance was winning the Leicestershire Amateur
title in 1997. Darren said: “I feel I have the game to succeed,
but putting in the practice time is vital. Sponsorship is critical,
to help pay for tournament fees and travel expenses.”
To contact Darren call him on 2672930
Artwork promotes stroke awareness
Pic: Some of the Longslade students involved
working on the project to create artwork for display in Leicester
Royal Infirmary
STUDENTS AT Longslade College have been
producing artwork for display in the Stroke Unit at Leicester
Royal Infirmary.
Around 25 students on GCSE and AS Level Art & Textile Courses
designed and created the artwork at their after school homework
club with Art & Textiles teacher Karen Williams and Melody
Mitchell, Head of Art.
October 4-10 is Stroke Awareness week and Longslade were invited
to participate as part of a wider campaign to promote the week’s
key message: eat a rainbow, beat a stroke. A diet featuring a
variety of colourful fruits and vegetables will reduce the risk
of having a stroke, and Stroke Awareness Week aims to encourage
people, especially children, to eat at least five different coloured
pieces of fruit or vegetables a day.
Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a first
stroke, with about 10,000 of these being under retirement age.
Stroke is the third most common cause of death in England and
Wales.
Pianist needed
HIGHCLIFFE AMATEUR Theatrical Society are
looking for a pianist to accompany them for their pantomime,
due to be performed during the week commencing November 29.
Ideally they would like someone to play at the rehearsals on
Wednesday evenings and then during show week as part of a band,
but they could arrange to hold singing rehearsals on a separate
evening if necessary.
Steph Bourgault from HATS said: “We have enjoyed putting
on pantomimes in Birstall for the last 13 years and have been
fortunate enough to work with a number of talented local musicians,
who have helped us to improve our singing performances from ‘reluctant’
to ‘enthusiastic’. If you think you might be interested
joining us please call me on 2109210.”
Florists’ TV moment
Pic: Lisa Chandra (left) and Kate Howard with
Claire Sweeney
STAFF FROM Birstall’s New World Florists
made their TV debuts when they appeared on Claire Sweeney’s
ITV, 60 Minute Makeover.
Florists Kate Howard and Lisa Chandra were part of the team that
created the makeover of a mansion in Tugby for a programme that
will be shown at the end of October.
Kate said: “We prepared vases, and used exotic, bright flowers
like Birds of Paradise, artichokes and lilies. There was a lot
of dashing around towards the end to get everything right on
time and it was a really good day, everyone was really nice to
us.”
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